Caught with Pot: Plants found, person jailed

Udall Police searched a home and arrested a man living there as part of an investigation into a marijuana grow and distribution operation, Chief Erik King said Monday.

Authorities executed a search warrant at 215 Hilltop around 6:30 Friday evening. The warrant was granted following an ongoing investigation.

King said the home contained between five and 10 plants and some product ready for distribution. It was confiscated by investigators, but King could not immediately provide a total weight for what was found.

He did describe the set up as a “full-scale distribution operation.”

As a result of the search, police arrested Ben C. Lette, 21, of Udall. He was booked into jail on multiple drug-related charges including cultivation of marijuana, selling within 1,000 of a school, and use of a communication device to facilitate a drug transaction.

Cowley County Chris Smith said he had not received information regarding the bust at this point and thus could not comment on what formal charges might be filed.

Lette was living at the home, which was formerly his grandmother’s residence, King said.

King confirmed that Lette is a son of Udall City Councilmember Chris Lette.

Bond for Ben Lette has been set at $32,000 and he remained in jail as of Monday morning.